"Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality.”
—Washington Irving
"The invitation was simple enough: Kim wrote, "We’ll begin with some Christmas cocktails and appetizers followed by dinner in the Christmas-annex (tent) and we'll open Kris Kringle gifts while enjoying dessert and coffee. The tent is heated but you might want to bring a sweater."
On Thanksgiving, we drew names for our Kris Kringle gift exchange. We were asked to purchase a gift valued at $50. Each person brought one gift for their designated pick.
There is a lot of anticipation mixed with joy when attending one of Kim and Al Chien's holiday events. You know you are in for a special treat. Just when I think she has outdone herself, she does it again. The way she tastefully arranges the decor, the lighting and sets a table in the most inviting way is beyond words.
In an article that appeared in The House & Home magazine on June 19, 2018, Barbara Weldon wrote, “Formal table settings are an art form." If that’s the case, Kim Chien is an artist extraordinaire. Over, the years our appreciation for her gift and talents has grown more and more.
Barbara Weldon adds, "The traditions surrounding placement are grounded in history, can be traced back to the Old Testament and are even found in the writings of Homer.”
Kim puts a lot of love in what she does, taking extra care to make sure dinner is perfect and honors all her guests— family and friends alike. She makes it look easy but it requires weeks of preparation. While we were basking in the sun in Maui, Kim was hard at work setting the foundation for a perfect evening. It was peaceful, it was exciting, it was relaxing, it was soulful, it was heartfelt, and the evening flew by.
We are so grateful to Kim and Al for creating an intimate, sacred space, to nourish our bodies, energize our minds, and renew our spirit. All we have is the gift of the present moment. May we be thankful for it, may we celebrate it, and may we share it with those we love.
I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.
Merry Christmas to all!
Love,
Cecile and Dennis
P.S. Thanks again for acknowledging the recent loss of my brother Michael Augustine. Christmas was his favorite holiday. His absence is palpable.
